Archive for Where is it? Wednesday

Our love of BIG has its limits. Bugs are usually beyond our scope of warm regards. Although we did love this gigantic Cootie.

This one is kinda cute too, no? Mainly, because it’s not alive.

Big bug, small state.

Do you know where it lives?Ten points to the first person who tells us! Extra points for specificity. (By the way, “specificity” is my new favorite word.)

Here’s a hint: my friend Nellie, yet another “Go BIG” convert, took this photo for us…and could only do so safely because she was sitting on the passenger side.

UPDATE: Poor Mr. Nibbles Woodaway, living a life of obscurity, even though he is the world’s largest bug! Only three people chimed in with the correct answer. Our facebook friend Bill S. was the first to name his location: on the top of the New England Pest Control office building in Providence, RI. He’s a 30-year old, two-ton, 58-foot termite, and an icon you can see from the southbound side of I-95.

We haven’t had a Where is it? Wednesday in a while! This time, we have a guest contributing to the fun! Many thanks to Sarah at Wandering Off, a family travel blog which focuses on offbeat adventures, like seeing the world’s largest pecan! (See, I’m not the only one who likes the BIG stuff!)

Behold…the world’s largest cowboy boots!! Sarah tells me that these 40-ft tall cowboy boots were built in the 70’s, but were moved to their current home in 1980.

World's Largest Cowboy Boots!

HINT #1: They can be seen from I-410.

HINT #2: Mr. Go BIG was supposed to get this photo himself when he was there this summer on a business trip. He didn’t. Said he was too busy working. Whatever.

I love that my friend Patty T. was on another continent, touring her husband’s “ancestral home,” when she heard that this is the largest building in the world covered in delft tile. She thought of me and this blog, and took this photo for our enjoyment! She’s just SWELL!

So today is an ultra-obscure “Where is it? Wednesday!” Anyone know where this building is located? And perhaps, the name of it?

If YOU have a photo of a BIG attraction – anywhere in the world – that you would like to contribute for “Where is it? Wednesday,” please contact me at Traci [at] GoBIGorGoHomeBlog [dot] com. I ♥ shared photos!

ANSWER: This building is called the Stadshaard. It’s located in Enschede, the Netherlands, and serves as a gateway building for the district of Roombeek. And — get this – it’s a power station! Amazingly attractive for a public utility building. More information and photos — with detailed looks at the tiles — can be found here.

Today’s image is brought to you by Kodak. This was taken back in the day before we had a digital camera. The Boy was just four years old. He’s heading to middle school in seven short months…sniff…don’t get me STARTED!!

Anyway, can you guess where this was taken? It’s a giant strawberry…which is the hint. This is a timely post relating to this fruity theme!

ANSWER: We had a few people submit answers, but only Helen from 2 Weeks Paid had the right answer! She gave us a friendly tweet on Twitter.

It’s the world’s largest strawberry festival! The annual Florida Strawberry Festival takes place in Plant City (near Tampa) every March. It’s going on now, which is why I’m posting this today. And because I always like a good excuse to pore over old photos and make myself verklempt…sniff…

Thanks to everyone who took a guess at our “Where is it? Wednesday” game yesterday! Liza and Bill both knew that this fellow – his name is Elwood, sigh – lives in Iowa. To be precise, he lives in Reiman Gardens on the Iowa State University campus. Mike offered a more compelling back story about Hans, Das mad Gärtner, which I think was a product of his new parent sleep deprivation.

Thanks again to Jody at Family Ramblingfor providing the photo, and this background info: Elwood is modeled after a garden gnome statue made by Created in Johnston, a company which creates concrete statues.

He is named after both an ISU professor who taught Landscape Architecture, and the original street which Reiman Gardens sits on (which is now called University Avenue).

There is a gnome in Poland which is larger, but he is made of fiberglass.

First, a quick thank you to everyone who entered to win our giveaway last week! Kathy H. has won a copy of the Drive I-95 guidebook by Stan Posner and Sandra Phillips-Posner!

So, my love for garden gnomes has grown to uncomfortable levels. When I set my sites upon gnomes which are among the world’s largest, like this one, things just start getting weird. I mean, isn’t he cute?! Not as cute as Chomsky, the giant gnome here in my native Hudson Valley, but this guy apparently likes to garden, which is a plus in my book.

Jody, the travel blogger at Family Rambling who wrote a guest post for us on the world’s largest Souvenir Travel Plate, got to meet this fellow in person. Ten points to the first person who can tell me where it is! Yes, he’s been referenced in a previous post, if you want to search. Hehe, made ya look. Fifty points if you can tell me his name!!

Also, I feel compelled to remind you to save the date of February 11th for the premiere of the animated movie Gnomeo and Juliet. It’s the humorous story of two garden gnomes who try to avoid tragedy and find a happy ending to their star-crossed love affair when they are caught up in a feud between neighbors. CAN’T WAIT!!

Today’s “Where is it? Wednesday features a steel sculpture (I’ve said too much already) which measures 56′ x 46′ x 46′. Ten points if you can tell me where this is!

BONUS points if you know its name and who made it. No, it wasn’t created by “The Others,” and it’s not on the LOST island, although that’s what Matt thinks. He got a little too wrapped up in that show, if you ask me.

When you have kids, you hear a lot about cooties. I don’t know if the expression began with the invention of the popular game in 1948, but I know it was a term I favored as a child…way…back…when. Until I turned 13, and then, mysteriously, boys didn’t seem to be afflicted with cooties anymore.

Thanks to Lucia C. for submitting our “Where is it” Wednesday” pic today! Where can you see this colorful creature? Ten points to the first one to tell us!

Remember all the little pieces this game came with? I believe they're now called "choking hazards."

Who needs a little levity today? Something to brighten their day? MEEEEEE! And so, I present you with “Where is it? Wednesday.” Yes, it’s almost Thursday. I should be nestled in bed, reading Real Simple magazine. But Go BIG fans need a hit of something big! And so, better late than never…